Last updated
Monday, 30-Nov-2009 13:57:03 MST
Classmates Obituaries - Letter R
These obituaries correspond with the yearbooks that are listed on this website. Whenever possible, the source of the obituary will be shown as well as the date.
Rankin, Katherine Elizabeth Precise - Katherine Elizabeth "Katie" Precise Rankin, of Hot Springs, passed away Sunday, October 11, 2009, at her home surrounded by her loved ones.
She was born July 8, 1929, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to the late C. E. and Lillian King Precise Sr. She received her education at Hot Springs High School, graduating in 1947. She and her first husband owned and operated Thornton Awning Company for many years and later she opened her antique shop called Katie's Corner. After selling her shop, she went to work at Arkansas Bank and Trust, retiring in 1995. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Jack Thornton; brother, Chalmers E. Precise, Jr.; and a granddaughter, Brandy Cranford.
She is survived by her husband, Chester Rankin, whom she married on May 16, 1998; son, Jim (Denise) Thornton, of Hot Springs; daughter, Pamela Kay Cranford, of Pine Bluff; three grandsons, Jody (Jessica) Thornton, of Fayetteville, Brian (Paula) Cranford, of Sheridan, Shaun (Ginnie) Cranford, of Woodlawn, Arkansas; granddaughter, Jamie (Matt) Charboneau, of Fayetteville; and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were 2 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Gardens Cemetery with the Rev. Bud Reeves officiating. Funeral arrangements were by Cranford Funeral Home in White Hall. [from the Sentinel-Record, October 14, 2009, page 7A] [Class of 1947]
Ray, Hurlon C. - Hurlon C. Ray, 87, of Lonsdale, died July 25, 2008. He was born April 25, 1921, in Owensville to the late Jack and Willie Maine Ray. Hurlon attended Saline and Garland county public schools, Arkansas Tech University, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Utah State University, Yale University, USDA Graduate School, Washington, D.C., and the Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, Va. He was appointed as a Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging by Gov. Tucker in 1995, served as a member of Metroplan-Central Arkansas Regional Transportation Study, Legislative Chairman Arkansas State Federation of National Association of Retired Federal Employees, chairman in 1998 of Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Board of Directors of Arkansas Wildlife Federation, Arkansas Public Policy Panel, 10 year member of Saline County Planning Commission, Saline County Public Facilities Board, and was an active citizen working for improving Hwy 5 and construction of a scenic turnout on Hwy 5. He was instrumental in helping secure funds for the Owensville and Paron Water Association. Hurlon was a member of the Owensville Baptist Church. He served in the Marine Corps during WWII in the South Pacific.
He was preceded in death by his wife, TyJuana Ray.
Survivors, sons, Harold Ray, Daryl Ray and Gaylon Ray, brothers, D. L. Ziegler, J. R. Ziegler, grandchildren, Heather Schmidt, Wendy Ray, Greg Ray, great grandchildren, Jazz Schmidt and Nick Schmidt.
Church Services by Ashby Funeral Home will be 10:00 a.m. Monday at Owensville Baptist Church with Rev. Larry Sherman officiating. Burial will follow at Owensville Cemetery...
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Owensville Cemetery Association or Saline Memorial Hospice at Bryant.
Family comments: Hurlon published over 100 technical papers dealing with environmental pollution control and received EPA'S Distinquished Service Award. He was one of the principal architects
of the Clear Water Act. He did not let retirement slow him down, at 82, he was deeply involved in what he called the most important fight of his life: Clearing up the Middle Fork of the Saline River, the Central Arkansas Waterway where he and four generations of his family grew up on. Hurlon was a lifetime Honorary member of the White Oak Springs Hunting Club of Princeton, Arkansas. He will be deeply missed by family and friends. [Ashby Funeral Home online obituary] [Fountain Lake Class of 1940]
Ridgeway, Pearl Lane - Pearl Lane Ridgeway, 87, a lifelong resident of Hot Springs died on Monday, August 17, 2009, at her home.
She was born March 11, 1922, to Lenora Ethel Cook Lane and Walton Y. Lane in Hot Springs.
Mrs. Ridgeway was a lifetime member of First United Methodist Church, past president of the Garland County Historical Society, past president of Ramble School PTA, a member of the Melting Pot, retired manager of the Downtown Visitors Center for the Advertising and Promotion Commission of Hot Springs, and recipient of the Hot Springs Diamond Award in 2003.
She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Bill Ridgeway, Sr.; one sister and brother-in-law, May and Sammy Zorub.
Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Darla Ridgeway, Jr., of Hot Springs; one daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Dr. Greg Foster of Vienna, Virginia; one nephew, Dr. David Zorub of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; seventeen grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with Dr. William O. Reeves and Dr. David Wilson officiating.
Pallbearers will be Keith Foster, Kurt Foster, Marc Ridgeway, Matthew Ridgeway, Jeffrey Lynch, Joshua Lynch, Drew McCurry, Zack McCurry and Donnie Reynolds.
Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Nizar Suleman, Dr. Timothy Webb, Dr. James Gardner, Bob Ridgeway, Mike Ridgeway, Bill Crone, Merek Rowe, Jim Buckner, Dr. David Zorub, David Nichols, Austin Wade Ridgeway, Don Bridges, Matt Roberts and T.J. Hughes.
Entombment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery Mausoleum.
Memorials have been designated to The Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure, Attn: Elizabeth Clark, Financial and Missions Director, 904 Autumn Rd. Ste 500, Little Rock, AR 72211 or Paws and Claws, P.O. Box 20254, Hot Springs, AR 71903.
Arrangements are by Hot Springs Funeral Home. [Hot Springs Funeral Home online obituary]
[Class of 1940]
Robbins, Lanny Sydney - Lanny S. Robbins of Hot Springs died Friday, September 4, 2009, of respiratory failure from post bulbar polio syndrome. Born April 15, 1938, in Hot Springs, to John H. and Lillian Reader Robbins, he graduated from Hot Springs High, Arkansas Tech, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College. He served 10 years active duty in the Adjutant General Corps including Vietnam (1968-69), followed by the Defense Intelligence Agency, The Pentagon, and the Armed Forces Courier Service in Washington, D.C. On August 19, 1972, he gave his heart to Jesus Christ, and in May 1973 entered seminary. He then completed military service as an Active Reserves Chaplain and retired with honors in June 1990. He served in Des Moines, Iowa, 1976-83, where God used him to found Good News Mission ministry in the Polk County Jail, CrossRoad Ministries in the Ft. Des Moines Correctional Facility, and a Southern Baptist church. In 1985-86 he was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Kearney, Nebraska. He returned to Hot Springs in July 1986, where he was Founding Chaplain of Garland County Jail Ministries and became Chaplain Emeritus in 2001. Lanny's heart's desire until his final breath was to honor God and share his faith in Jesus with everyone who crossed his path.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marguerite Holzer Robbins; two daughters and sons-in law, Julie and Jeff Frady of Wichita, Kansas, and Tricia and Scott Murrish of Kearney Nebraska; six grandchildren, Joelle and Jana Frady and Jarrad, Natalie, Noah, and Ethan Murrish; a sister and brother-in-law, Betti and B. Winstead; a stepmother, Vera Threadgill Robbins; and several nieces and nephews. The service will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 9, at First Baptist Church, Hot Springs, with Reverends John McCallum and Bill Carter officiating. A military honor guard will attend the interment at Crestview Memorial Park. Pallbearers
will be Rev. Gary Jones, Ben Hooten, Tony Cordiale, Norman Mason, and Jarrad and Noah Murrish. Honorary pallbearers are Jeff Frady, Scott Murrish, J. E. Sanders, St. Joseph's Cardiac Rehab nurses and class members, and Caleb Men's Sunday School class.
Memorials may be made to Garland County Jail Ministries, P.O. Box 725, Hot Springs, AR 71902 or to Royal Family Kids Camps, 3108 9th Ave., Kearney, NE 68845. [from Gross Funeral Home online obituary] [Class of 1956]
Ross, Patricia Ann Rouse - Patricia Ann Ross, age 77, of Malvern passed away Monday, August 18, 2008, in a local hospital. She was born April 17, 1931, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to Al Rouse and Dicie Marsh Rouse. She was a member of First United Pentecostal Church in Malvern. Patricia had worked as an Avon sales representative.
She is survived by: 1 son, Ronnie Allen Rhouse of Dallas, Texas; 1 daughter, Diane Hurst of Malvern, Arkansas, 1 sister, Betty Louise Black of Point Cedar, Arkansas; 6 grandchildren, Chad, Christa, Heath, and Heather Hurst Lauren and Hayden Rhouse; 1 niece, Rene Morgan; 1 nephew, Clay Black
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, August 21, 2008, at the First United Pentecostal Church with Reverend J.,E. Peters, Reverend Patrick Hancock, and Reverend Ronnie Hutson officiating.
Interment will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Pallbearers are Brandon Morgan, Dietrich Morgan, Clay Black, Chad Hurst, Hayden Rhouse, and David Avington.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to First United Pentecostal Church, 1524 Wilson Street, Malvern, AR 72104.
Arrangements are under the direction of Atkins Funeral Home of Malvern (501) 332-2711. [Atkinson Funeral Home online obituary] [Class of 1949]
Rynders, Franklin Eugene - Franklin Eugene Rynders, 68, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away on Saturday, February 14, 2009. Born the son of Nellie Dickey Rynders Hildebrand and Delbert Rynders on August 3, 1940, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Frank graduated from high school in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1958. He served in the Navy during 1958. He married Lucy Faye Forsyth, his wife of 47 years, on February 23, 1961, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Frank and Lucy owned The Market Place grocery store in Denison, Texas, for many years, until retiring in 2006. Frank and Lucy moved to Tulsa in 2008 to be closer to their family.
He is survived by his loving wife, Lucy; beloved daughter, Kami Lee Rynders Hoar and husband Richard of Tulsa; granddaughter Elayne; brother James Delbert Rynders of Hot Springs; dear nephew John Rynders of Hot Springs who is loved as a son; as well as many other nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Margaret Rynders and Mary Rynders Ellis; brother Herbert S. Hildebrand.
Private services will be held at the Rogers-Mountain Grove Cemetery, Huckleberry Mountain, Logan County, Arkansas.
the family requests memorial contributions to St. Francis Hospice, 6600 S. Yale Ave 350, Tulsa, OK 74136.
Services are under the direction of the Ninde Funeral Directors, Brookside Chapel. [Sentinel-Record; February 18, 2009] [Class of 1958]